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LS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Takes Its First Drive, Stops at the Drive-Thru

I generally dislike the idea of a car being LS-swapped, but that's because I'm heavily connected to the RX-7 community, and that's a big "no-no" for us rotor heads. But somehow, I don't feel at all bothered by seeing any other kind of vehicle getting a V8-job, even if we're talking exotics.
LS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-Thru 13 photos
Photo: B is for Build
LS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-ThruLS-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive-Thru
Let's face it; few things can still leave a lasting impression on us these days when looking at the automotive industry. We have pretty much seen everything. So hybrid-builds are the only ones that could spark some more interest. Because when's the last time you saw a Honda-powered Ferrari going down the street? Or a 4-rotor Corvette? That's right, you can't remember that because it never happened. At least not yet.

And build series are taking off lately. We've been keeping a close eye on Kyle Williams and his 8-turbo, LS-Swapped Mustang, and we're about to bring you some updates on that as well. But in the meantime, a project we've been following is the LS-swapped, off-road-ready Lamborghini "Jumpacan." I guess some people took the "LS-swap the world" saying literally.

If you think of it, you could have imagined plenty of scenarios involving a Lamborghini Huracan. We've seen Lambos at the drag strip, on race tracks, drifting on ice or tarmac. But do you remember seeing a Lamborghini going off-road at full speed without having to call the tow truck 5 seconds in? The guys at "B is for Build" are going into unchartered territory here, as they're pushing the boundaries of what a vehicle built in Sant'Agata Bolognese can do.

LS\-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive\-Thru
Photo: B is for build
Seven months ago, they introduced this build, which they dubbed the "World's First Off-road Lamborghini" (somehow they seem to have forgotten about the Lamborghini LM002). It has been a long journey up until this point, and it's still not over yet. After introducing the car, they documented the whole process step by step. At first, they built the long travel suspension; then they went on to fully tear down the car to advance to the next step.

Engine mock-up was up next, and I can only imagine how a Lamborghini enthusiast would react to seeing the traditional V10 dumped for an "Eagle-power" V8. The automatic transmission was also ditched, and a manual gearbox was fitted to the car. Of course, you can't have a Lamborghini without Lambo doors, so that was the next natural step for the team. As they intend to drive the wheels off this thing, a 12-point roll cage was also required.

All that hard work led to today's official test drive when the crew took the car out to see how it behaves. No wide-open throttle pulls yet, as the first test is always crucial for noticing any issues and addressing them. With all the excitement going on, they decide to take it out on public roads, even though this isn't your average road-going vehicle.

LS\-Swapped Lamborghini "Jumpacan" Goes on First Drive, Stops at the Drive\-Thru
Photo: B is for build
As they arrive at their "testing grounds," basically an empty parking lot, they notice several weird noises coming from the car. And this is just the time to pay attention to that kind of thing, as you don't want to jeopardize a year's worth of effort and work for nothing. Some 5 feet (1.5 meters) into the drive, the team discovers the source of the grinding sound they had been hearing. The brake caliper bolts were too long, so they were hitting the brake rotor.

After an on-the-spot solution is adopted, they're free to proceed with the test drive. Even at idle speed, the engine sounds ridiculous, and you can already envision this thing jumping over dunes as if it were a Ram TRX or a trophy truck. The funny part is up next, as they decide to take the "Jumpacan" over to Carl's JR to get some food. I would've loved to see the face of the drive-thru clerk as the Lambo pulls in.

After getting their order, the team also discovered a sprung coolant line, and with no taillights on the car, they decide to call it a day. Going back to the shop, we even get to see that the gearbox is working fine, as all five gears are engaged one after the other. By the looks of it, it should be another month or so until we get to see the "Jumpacan" work its magic, and I do hope that the testing site is going to provide all the right challenges for it.

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About the author: Dragos Chitulescu
Dragos Chitulescu profile photo

The things Dragos enjoys the most in life are, in no particular order: cars, motorcycles, diecast cars, and drifting. He's seen (and driven) many vehicles since he started his writing career back in 2009, but his garage currently houses a 1991 Mazda RX-7 FC3S Turbo II and a 1999 Suzuki SV650-S.
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